Filcris down, track down, but how to fix the ballast?

T

Thickmike

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Hi. First post from me. Laid some cut and sliced Filcris boards for the station area and the (mostly) Piko track is screwed down - now to ballast. I've got loads of small granite chippings - but how to keep them around the sleepers and not get washed away. All advice gratefully received! Thanks!

Mike
 
A few years ago there was a "recipe" for making ballast in a copy of "Garden Rail". If I remember it was a concoction of silver sand, cement and maybe something else.

Thought I kept a copy of the "recipe" but, as normal, I can't find it. I've got a pile of back copies of "Garden Rail" so maybe I'll find the "recipe" one day.
 
Thanks both for your replies - if I go with a cement based mix can are you suggesting a fairly weak mix - any suggestions on how strong would be helpful or indeed other options?

Mike
 
I've thought about using diluted exterior grade PVA glue like is used in smaller scales. Anybody out there tried it?

Phil S.
 
phils2um said:
I've thought about using diluted exterior grade PVA glue like is used in smaller scales. Anybody out there tried it?

Phil S.
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That is exactly what I use and it works fine. You need around 25/75 with a dab of washing up liquid. That is 25% PVA.

Only real issue is to ensure that you do the glueing on a warmish day, winter just does not work at all. Also be careful round points and try not to get any glue on the Rail surface. It is worthwhile to consider giving the moving parts of points a light brushing of Oil as this will stop the glue working where you do not want it to. I think one final point may be that if younuse overly large ballast then mixing with Cement will help and water in with the PVA mix. Here a pre spray with water and a little washing up liquid will help the glue get right into your ballast.

Pic a close up of some of my ballasted track using these methods, been down since around 2014 now. Big stuff at the front not glued.image.jpeg
 
KentKeith said:
A few years ago there was a "recipe" for making ballast in a copy of "Garden Rail". If I remember it was a concoction of silver sand, cement and maybe something else.

Thought I kept a copy of the "recipe" but, as normal, I can't find it. I've got a pile of back copies of "Garden Rail" so maybe I'll find the "recipe" one day.
Click to expand...
I couldn't think straight last night, it's Rowland's Mixture. Sand cement and compost. Holds the trackwork and turns mossy. Named after Dave Rowland I believe (?)
 
Thats the stuff - 3, 2 ,1 I think. that's 3 sand/gravel, 2 compost, 1 cement.
 
If on a solid base, do you need to fix it?
An upstand / trim edging would hold it in place. If your inter-board gaps are larger than your ballast, then what about a UV-stable fine mesh, then ballast?

I know the pigeons will have some of it, but topping up ballast is all part of railway maintenance. - A prototype for everything! :)
 
That's what I do Phil - use gravity. I dont bother with the edging, I just loose a bit of the grit over time.
 
I’ve used Rowland’s mix with varying degrees of success. I think that’s due to the weather here in NW Florida.

I’m currently trying an experiment with chicken grit and a diluted cement glue. I lay track on concrete blocks. So far the glue has worked well. Too well in one case where the track and ballast bonded so well to the concrete that I could pick up the whole thing with the track!

If it works, and doesn’t get washed off by our irrigation system, I’ll post some photos later.
 
Thickmike said:
Hi. First post from me. Laid some cut and sliced Filcris boards for the station area and the (mostly) Piko track is screwed down - now to ballast. I've got loads of small granite chippings - but how to keep them around the sleepers and not get washed away. All advice gratefully received! Thanks!

Mike
Click to expand...
Exterior PFA will do the trick - mix it in with the ballast

Mike (Beavercreak) is your expert in this department :nod::nod:
 
Thanks to you all for your replies and sage advice - I've got several options to try and will probably test a couple out - it's just tooo lovely a day in Southern Northamptonshire to do any ballasting!!

Best wishes,

Mike
 
I've had good results on short trial sections of track, using dry cement powder well stirred into the chippings - then thoroughly wetted down after the track is embedded in it; makes the whole thing solid enough to hold the track in place and withstand normal wear and tear, but you can still pull the track up and knock off the chippings if you need to do so at a later date (which I have done).

Jon.
 
Thickmike said:
Hi. First post from me. Laid some cut and sliced Filcris boards for the station area and the (mostly) Piko track is screwed down - now to ballast. I've got loads of small granite chippings - but how to keep them around the sleepers and not get washed away. All advice gratefully received! Thanks!

Mike
Click to expand...
Use concrete bonding solution, looks like, smells like, and works like Elmer’s glue, either delute it or put it on full strength and water it in, water proof
 
I'm pretty sure that the original Rowlands recipe called for peat, not compost - they are very much not the same thing. I don't know if compost would work. Either way, the idea was that moss etc would start to grow on the organic material which would soften the whole appearance and add realism.
 
Bruce in NZ said:
I'm pretty sure that the original Rowlands recipe called for peat, not compost - they are very much not the same thing. I don't know if compost would work. Either way, the idea was that moss etc would start to grow on the organic material which would soften the whole appearance and add realism.
Click to expand...
Indeed Rowlands did use Peat, but I believe that this is pretty much impossible to source these days an alternative will be fine. But some of what I have seen is pretty lumpy so needs to be well sifted to get fine pieces. The leftover can be used in the Garden.
 
Did you know?
I was reading about the disposal of old tyres the other week and compost can contain up to 10% chopped tyres.
 
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